Everyday Creations: Crafts, recipes and everyday life!: 30 minute meal

Tonight I made a quick, delicious meal before heading off to class. It was so yummy, I packed it up to go and ate it on my way to school! So easy, I used what I had in the fridge, but you can basically do whatever you want.

Panko Crusted Chicken with Mushroom, Spinach Alfredo Pasta

Not pictured chicken, spices and oil

First I made my quick and easy alfredo sauce:

2 T. butter
2 T. flour
2 C. milk (I used whole)
salt, pepper, and nutmeg
1/2 c. - 3/4 c. grated parm

The trick to making a thick sauce is the roux. Roux is butter and flour mixed together. This is what makes it thick. The trick to a good roux is melting the butter and putting the stove on high. Add your flour real quick and whisk furiously for a minute. You don't want to form little balls, but you don't want it to burn. By keeping it on high and whisking super fast it wont form a ball. The reason you whisk for a good minute is to cook the flour taste out.

Slowly add your milk and keep on whisking. Let it come to a simmer, whisk occasionally. Add your salt and pepper and parm cheese. Keep whisking occasionally. You know your sauce is thick when it coats the back of a spoon. Let it sit on warm on the stove, I also grate some fresh nutmeg in my alfredo sauce, gives it a nice taste. If you don't have any don't worry.

So with the sauce done I sauteed some mushrooms and thinly sliced mushrooms. I was in the mood for garlic so I used like 6 cloves. Add some oil to the pan and then add the garlic. According to Mario barteli you want the garlic to be a nice golden color, not too dark. So keep an eye on it. Add your mushrooms and saute for a few minutes. Do you know how to clean a mushroom? Just take a wet paper towel and wipe them off. That is all. You don't want to submerge them in water.

When that is done put it aside. Now I took three chicken breasts and cut them into strips. Threw some salt and pepper on them and dipped them in oil. Then I mixed panko bread crumbs with lots of Italian herbs and some parm cheese. I did not measure this, but you want to use quite a bit to get a good flavor. Mix those together and dredge your chicken in it. Heat some oil in a nice big pan and add chicken. Turn once after there is a nice golden color. Because they are strips they don't take long. I believe I did 4-5 minutes each side. Don't over crowd your pan. I did mine in two batches.

So while I was doing all this I made some shell pasta. (don't forget to salt your pasta) Once it was done I added the sauce, mushrooms, garlic and fresh spinach. I added some pasta water to help the spinach wilt some.

Mix it all together and plate some up! I threw some yummy chicken on top and chowed down. It smelled so good! The chicken was nice and crunch and the pasta was yummy.